Method of and apparatus for the manufacture of plate-glass



2 SheetsSheet- 1.

(No Model.)

R.-S. PHASE. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATE'GLASSPatented Nov. 24, 1891.

(N0 Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. S. PHASE. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF PLATE GLASS.

,642. Patente d Nov. 24, 1891.

Winesses;

UNITED TATES FFICE.

ATENT ROGER S. PEASE, OF ROSE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO 'COURTLANDT RAB-COCK AND AMBROSE B. EVERTS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATE-GLASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,642, dated November24, 1891.

Application filed February 11, 1891. Serial No. 381,011- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROGER S. PEASE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rose, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, havingmy place of business and postoflice address at Minneapolis, Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMethods of andApparatus for the Manufacture of Plate-Glass, of which the fol- 1olowing is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of plate-glass and it consists,primarily, in pouring the metal directly upon the molding table or bedfrom pots within the furnace or melt- 5 ing-oven, so as to avoid thenecessity of either first drawing off the metal from a tank or ofremoving the pots from the oven and subjecting them to'changes oftemperature.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a lon- 2o gitudinal sectional viewof a pot-furnace arranged for-carrying out my invention, the molding-bedbeing represented as standing beneath the pot-chamber ready to receivethe molten metal; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view showing one of thepots in the act of being emptied; Fig. 8, a perspective view showing theend of the furnace or moldingtable and the car or table which conveysthe glass from the molding-table to the annealing-oven; Fig. 4, a Viewillustrating the preferred form of the pot; Fig. 5, a sectional viewshowing the preferred construction and arrangement of closure for theopening through which metal is poured and indicating the relation of thepot thereto.

Many attempts have been made hitherto to simplify and cheapen themanufacture of plate-glass, and particularly to render the meltingprocess continuous. 'WVi'th this object in view some have proposed theuse of tanks adapted to contain a large quantity of molten metal and tomaintain the same in proper working condition, the design being to drawfrom the tank the quantity required for the formation of one sheet afteranother and tosupply materials to the tank or to the melting-chamber inproportion to the withdrawal of molten metal therefrom. In some cases ithas been proposed to tap the tank through its bottom or in line with itsbottom through one side; but experience has proven that this plan isopen to a very serious objection, which is that wherever molten glassflows through an opening in the bottom or wall of a tank the openingbecomes rapidly enlarged, the fire-clay fusing with or being eaten bythe molten glass, so that it is difficult to properly close it or toregulate the flow of'glass through it. Others, recognizing the abovedifficulty, have proposed to tip the entire tank or to lower one sidethereof, so that the molten metal may flow over its edge; but provisionhas usually been made for delivering the metal into portable pots,whence it was to be poured upon the molding-table. I propose to avoidthe difficulties attending these several plansenlargement of the tap oropening on the one hand or the expensive construction involved in atipping tank on the other-by making use of pots and so arranging themthat their contents may be discharged directly onto the molding orcasting table without removing the pots from the furnace, and I havefound by practical tests that this plan is admirably adapted to themanufacture of plate-glass and effectually overcomes the difficultiesencountered by prior plans.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a melting oven or chambercontaining a series of pots B, which may be of any suitable capacity,and which are advisably arranged in two rows or groups, one row ateither side of the furnace or oven close to the outer walls thereof.Thus arranged the pots may be 5 readily charged and tipped to dischargetheir contents through openings 0, formed in the side Walls of thefurnace or oven, and normally closed by suitable caps or stoppers D,such as are used to close the working-holes 9 of pot-furnaces.

E indicates an opening through the floor or bottom of the oven orchamber B, which opening extends parallel with the side or end walls ofthe oven and is located midway between said walls, the pots B beingarranged to face said openings, so that when tipped their contents shallfiow through the same without coming in contact with the walls or edgesthereof.

The opening E may be closed by bricks or blocks F of fire-clay laid overthe same and IOC manipulated by means of a suitable rod in the hands ofthe workman, or, as is preferred, the opening may be of the formindicated in Fig. 5, and closing doors or gates G employed to close theopening E.

The bottom or floor of the chamber A is made of fire-clay or fire-brickand inclines downward toward the opening E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5,this for the double purpose of causing any drip or-waste that may occurto flow to the opening E and also to afford free space for the tippingof the pets to any extent desired.

As indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the floor of the chamber or oven A isprovided with a backing or support a, of iron orother suitable metal,and in the preferred form represented in Fig. 5 the floordrops orinclines downward toward the opening E both inside and outside. Hingedto the backing a at suitable points are the doors or gates G, which arecounterweighted, so as to close automatically and to remain closed,except when forcibly drawn open by the attendants, the meeting line ofthe two doors being so formed that the gates may swing down one afteranother without looking or binding. A convenient form is represented inFig. 5, Where the meet ing line is oblique to a vertical plane; butobviously the meeting line may be a curved instead of a straight line orplane. The counter-weights G may be caused to act with any desiredforce, so that, if desired, the gates shall remain closed even thoughthe contents of one or more of the pots be discharged thereon throughthe breaking of a pot or otherwise.

To open the gates G, I provide, preferably, chainsor cables H, whichpass about pulleys b, and thence to the front of the furnace or otherconvenient point, where they may be provided with hand-holds or attachedto levers by which to pull upon them and draw upward the counter-weightsG, whereby the gates may be opened.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the gates G are formed with metal backings andfaced with fire-clay, so as to withstand the high heat within the ovenor chamber A.

A single gate may be substituted for the double gates shown; but Iprefer the double gates, because of the greater compactness or thesmalleramount of vertical space required, it being desirable that themolding or casting table I be brought as near to the bottom of thechamber A as practicable.

In practice it will be found desirable to employ as many gates (doubleor single) as there are pairs of pets, so that only that portion of theopening E which is directly 'in front of the pot or pets to be pouredneed be opened at any one time. \Vithout such provision there would be aserious waste of heat and an undue cooling of the pots and the metal.

therein.

In order to bring the molding or casting table I as near to the bottomof the chamber as is practicable, I mount the floor of said chamber uponiron beams or girders, which are in turn carried upon columns or piers,so as to leave a free space below the chamber for the molding or castingtable and permit access to said space when required.

The molding or casting table I is essentially the same as heretoforeused, and is mounted upon trucks or wheels and arranged to run into andout of the space beneath the chamber upon suitable rails, as indicatedin Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

.I indicates the roller by which the glass is rolled out and caused toassume the proper thickness upon the bed ortable, which latter isfurnished, as usual, with side guards or ways upon which the ends of theroller travel and by which the thickness of the sheet is determined. Atthe forward or outer end of the table are raised ribs or ways 0, whichserve to elevate the roller when its work is completed and afford spacebetween it and the table for the passage of the sheet from the table tothe annealing-oven or to a transfercar K, by which the sheet is carriedto the anhealing-oven.

Mounted on suitable standards or bearings at the forward or outer end ofthe molding or casting table I is a transverse shaft L, provided withcranks or winches by which to rotate it and with sprocket wheels (I, asbest shown'in Figs. land 3. At the rear end of the table is asimilarshaft M, provided with wheels 6, which may be either grooved pulleys orsprocket-wheels. Passing about the pulleys (Z 6 at each side of thetable are chains N, which have attached to them the boxes or bearings fof the roller J, so that as the shaft L is turned in one or the otherdirection the roller J will be caused to traverse the table I in one orthe other direction, as desired.

0 indicates a guard resting upon the bed or table I and having aperforated lug or car, through which passes the journal of the roller J,so that the guard is carried with the roller in its movements forwardand backward, there being a similar guard at each end of the roller toprevent the molten glass from flowing over the sides of the table as theroller advances.

The arrangement of the roller-chains and shafts above set forth ispeculiarly advantageous in connection with my method of operation forthe reason that it enables me to cause the backward as well as theforward movement of the roller Without drawing the molding-table outfrom beneath the chamber or oven A, whereas prior constructions wouldnecessitate the drawing out of the molding or casting table or the useof some other means in addition to the ordinary chains by which theroller is drawn forward to recede the same.

hile I have described the chamber as having a central opening with aseries of pots on either side thereof, I wish it distinctly uneeaeaaderstood that I do not restrict myself to this arrangement, as I mayobviously use a single row of pots or I may arrange the pots in otherwaysfor instance, in a semicircular group,

in a single straight line along one side of the opening, orotherwise-though I prefer the arrangement illustrated for the reasonthat it affords convenient access to each of the pots and enables me tocharge and to tip the same with ease and facility. So, too, I haverepresented the passages for the inlet of air and gas from a regeneratorsuch as is employed in the well-known Siemens type of furnace;but I donot restrict myself to this or any other specific form of heatingapparatus.

Under ordinary circumstances I prefer the type of heater indicated,because of the intense heat obtainable therefrom, the cleanliness andfreedom from smoke and sulphur, and the economy of fuel.

The pots which I propose to employ, although ordinary pots may be used,are of the form shown in Figs. 2, 4, and '5that is to say, the frontside is rounded or cut away to such an extent that a Very slightpressure forward will cause the pot to tip and discharge its contentsand so, too, that the movements of the pot may be easily controlledthroughout, the rounded rocking or bearin g faces permitting the easycontrol and tipping of the pots to any extent desired. A sufficientlyflat surface or bottom is left for the pot to stand upon normallyWithout the aid of props of any kind, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.This peculiar formation of the pots is important to the practicalcarrying out of my improved method, because of the necessity of tippingthe pots within the heating or melting chamber, and, further, because itis essential that the contents be discharged in a mass and not allowedto drip or trickle from the pot, because such slow discharge causes themolten metal to fold upon itself and to inclose bodies of air, whichform bubbles in the sheet rolled therefrom.

No claim is made in this application for the pot per se, as that isspecifically claimed in another application filed in my name on the 19thday of September, 1891, Serial No. 406,177. It is here shown anddescribed merely to afford a full and clear understanding of the bestmode and means of carrying out the process herein claimed.

By retaining the pots within the chamber or oven A at all times andpouring the metal therefrom while within said chamber I avoid thechanges of temperature both in the pot and in the molten metal which areincident to the delivery of the molten metal from a tank into an exposedpot or ladle, or to the removal of a pot from an oven or furnace to theatmosphere, and, I consequently greatly prolong the life of the pots, atthe same time insuring a more uniform quality of glass and rendering farmore easy and certain the casting operation.

The pots may contain differentcolored metal, so as to produce sheets ofdifferent colors or combinations of colors.

Thepots may be covered or open, as preferred.

By some glass-workers or under some circnmstances it is deemedadvantageous to roll the sheet in both directions one or more times.Hence I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself to thearrangement of the guards 0 above described, but propose to adopt insome cases the common plan of connecting the guards by a cross-bar orplate and mounting them loosely upon the table in advance of the rollerJ.

It is and long has been common to construct a pot-chamber with aninclined bottom leading to a small outlet for the escape of molten glassspilled from a pot or escaping from a broken pot, and I make no claim tothis idea.

In order to secure the practical benefits of my plan, it is necessarythat the pots be arranged in such relation to the opening and that theopening be of such size as to permit the molten glass to be poured.directly upon the molding bed or tablethat is, Without coming intocontact with the walls of the opening.

I am aware that it has been proposed to tap or siphon molten metal froma melting-chamber directly to a mold, and subsequently to carry saidmold beneath a press and subject its. contents to pressure, such planbeing set forth in British Patent No. 14,573 of 1885. I make no claimthereto.

It is particularly to be noted that under my arrangement of apparatusand method of working the vessel containing the molten metal remainsalways within the melting chamber or oven, and is consequently heatedevenly in every part. tipped to pour the metal said metal flows over amouth or edge and through a space heated to the same temperature as thebody of the pot and the metal itself, touching nothing whatever thatmight chill it until delivered upon the molding or casting table. Thentapped or siphoned from a tank, the metal is chilled by contact with theexternal, exposed, and comparatively cool lip in front of the outlet andfalls to the mold through the outer airthat is, through air outside ofthe furnace or heating-chamber.

So far as I am aware, no one has ever before proposed to manufactureglass by pour ing the molten metal from a pot contained in the meltingchamber or oven and without removing the pot therefrom. By this plan Iam enabled to vastly prolong the life of the pots, avoid chilling orcooling of the metal, and insure the formation of perfect plates atHence when the pot is IIO greatly-reduced cost as compared with priorstand the heat required, and the materials of which glass pots are madepreclude the use of trunnions and like supports.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The herein-describedmethod of molding or casting glass plates or sheets, which consists infirst reducing the charge of metal to a molten state in a pot orcrucible within a melting chamber or oven; second, tipping the pot orcrucible and pouring the molten metal therefrom directly to or upon themoldingbed or table without removing the pot or crucible from thechamber or exposing it to the outer air, and, third, rolling orspreading the mass into a sheet of proper thickness.

2. The herein-described method of producing glass plates or sheets,which consists of the following steps: first, reducing the batch orcharge to a molten state in a pot or crucible within a melting chamberor oven; second, tipping the pot or crucible and pouring the moltenmetal directly therefrom to or upon the molding bed or table withoutremoving the pot from the chamber; third, rolling or spreading the massinto a sheet, and, fourth, annealing the sheet.

3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of glass plates or sheets, thecombination of a heating oven or chamber provided with an openingthrough which molten metal can be discharged without coming into contactwith the floor of the chamber or the walls of the opening, a pot or potswithin said chamber, adapted to contain molten metal, and a molding orcasting bed located in such relation to the opening in the furnace andto the pot or pots therein as to directly receive the molten contents'ofthe latter when poured, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with chamber A, provided with opening E, a pot or potsB, arranged in such relation to the opening that the contents can bepoured directly through said opening, and a casting or molding table I,located below the opening E, substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with chamber or oven A, provided with an opening E inits floor or bottom, gates or doors G, adapted to close said opening,and a pot or pots located within said chamber and adapted to delivermolten metal directly through said opening, substantially as described.

6. In combination with chamberor oven A, provided with opening E in itsfloor or bottom, gates G, applied to said opening, counter-weights G,adapted to hold the gates closed, anda pot or pots located withinchamber A and in such relation to the opening as to deliver molten metaldirectly through the opening E when tipped.

7. In combination with chamber or oven A, provided with opening E,counterweighted gates G, and chains or hands H for opening the gates,substantially as described.

8. In combination with chamber or oven A, provided with opening E, a potor pots having a front face rounded or cut away substantially as shown,whereby the pot is adapted to be rocked or tipped forward and held inany desired position with the exercise of slight power.

9. In combination with a molding or casting table I, roller J, chains orbands N, shaft L, and wheels or pulleys cl 6, about which said bandspass, all constructed and arranged substantially-as set forth, wherebythe roller is adapted to be moved forward and backward over the tablewithout drawing said table from beneath the furnace or oven inconnection with which it is used.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ROGER S. PEASE.

Witnesses:

WALTER DODGE, \VILLIAM W. Donen.

